SonshineLearner Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 So, if you had a rising Senior, what are the 10 books you'd want them to read. My step-daughter lives with us half time, and won't be in public school next year. (She started home-educating last year, in November.) She might attend some college, but I can't see her having a job. So, she'll have at least half of her free reading time to read "approved" books. Because of her being my step, and not having much support, I haven't made her read extra books. (Although during school time, she's done school...) She's really into Science Fiction, and I'm sure she'll read those at her mom's house. Here, though, we've said no marshmallow books for her summer or Senior Year. We want her to read some "Educational and hopefully some edifying books." I'm open to books with and without a Christian World View. Thanks! Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 My daughter really likes Jane Austen books, has read Emma, now reading Pride and Prejudice. But if your step likes sci fi, I'm not sure if she will like romantic novels :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 1)The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch Actually, have her watch it first, as it was originally a lecture, then have her read the book, which expands on the lecture. Very inspiring. Here's a link to the lecture: You can find the book at any book retailer. 2) The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard - An excellent Christian book about discipleship from an eternal perspective, one that begins at the time of salvation, not the time of death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Rich Dad, Poor Dad The Way They Learn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Total Truth by Nancy Piercy (sp?) - worldview, definitely CC. Evening in the Palace of Reason (Bach and Fredrick the Great - fascinating) As much Shakespeare as she can stand (reading plays together can be fun) Pilgrim's Progress Les Miserable Up From Slavery To Kill a Mockingbird 84 Charing Cross Road Amusing Ourselves to Death I don't know much sci-fi, but she might enjoy books by Tim Powers - they are well written and fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Along with Susan and Laughing Lioness' non-fiction worldview suggestions, I would include: - Do Hard Things (Harris) - Don't Waste Your Life (Piper) Read and discuss together and be inspired together! And some inspiring classics: - Christy (Marshall) - The Hiding Place (tenBoom) - Cry, The Beloved Country (Paten) - I Heard the Owl Call My Name (Craven) - Till We Have Faces (Lewis) - The Lord of the Rings trilogy (Tolkien) - Smith of Wooten Major; Leaf by Niggle (Tolkien) -- short stories - To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee) More great books with inspiring themes: - Out of the Silent Planet; Perelandra; That Hideous Strength (Lewis) -- his "space trilogy" - The Tombs of Atuan (LeGuin) -- fantasy; not by a Christian, but wow! what an image of Christ rescuing us from servitude to evil! - Aurelia's Colors; Cyndere's Midnight (Overstreet) -- new fantasy by a Christian deeply influenced by Tolkien - Flatland (Abbott) -- characters from 1-D, 2-D, and 3-D worlds attempting to understand one another (subtle Christian parallel) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proverbs356lady Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Along with Susan and Laughing Lioness' non-fiction worldview suggestions, I would include:- Do Hard Things (Harris) - Don't Waste Your Life (Piper) Read and discuss together and be inspired together! And some inspiring classics: - Christy (Marshall) - The Hiding Place (tenBoom) - Cry, The Beloved Country (Paten) - I Heard the Owl Call My Name (Craven) - Till We Have Faces (Lewis) - The Lord of the Rings trilogy (Tolkien) - Smith of Wooten Major; Leaf by Niggle (Tolkien) -- short stories - To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee) More great books with inspiring themes: - Out of the Silent Planet; Perelandra; That Hideous Strength (Lewis) -- his "space trilogy" - The Tombs of Atuan (LeGuin) -- fantasy; not by a Christian, but wow! what an image of Christ rescuing us from servitude to evil! - Aurelia's Colors; Cyndere's Midnight (Overstreet) -- new fantasy by a Christian deeply influenced by Tolkien - Flatland (Abbott) -- characters from 1-D, 2-D, and 3-D worlds attempting to understand one another (subtle Christian parallel) Total Truth by Nancy Piercy (sp?) - worldview, definitely CC.Evening in the Palace of Reason (Bach and Fredrick the Great - fascinating) As much Shakespeare as she can stand (reading plays together can be fun) Pilgrim's Progress Les Miserable Up From Slavery To Kill a Mockingbird 84 Charing Cross Road Amusing Ourselves to Death I don't know much sci-fi, but she might enjoy books by Tim Powers - they are well written and fascinating. :iagree:These look like excellent lists. Especially : Do Hard Things (Harris) Don't Waste your Life (Piper) Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Tolkein) To Kill a Mockingbird Amusing Ourselves to Death If she's a Christian I'd also include: Pursuit of Holiness (Jerry Bridges) Practice of Godliness (Jerry Bridges) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Marple Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Two books that I want all of my boys to have read before graduating: Bonhoffer's The Cost of Discipleship and Lewis's Mere Christianity. Those are my non-negotiables. We are using books from Quine's World Views of the Western World and TheGreatBooks.com lists to round out our reading lists. I want the boys to read Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, Bastiat (The Law), some philosophy (Locke, Tocqueville, Augustine, etc.), some books about the Holocaust, and some of the more "famous" fiction works of American and British authors. Because of time constraints, we do use movies to introduce authors and their works to the boys. If your step is into Science Fiction, you might consider C.S. Lewis's space trilogy or Til We Have Faces (Lewis's retold story of Cupid and Psyche). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriM Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 I'll agree with Cynthia and Lori--say, "I changed my mind on the science fiction--you'll probably love these!" and give her Lewis's Space Trilogy. I read Out of the Silent Planet aloud to my 7/8th grade class this year as part of our morning "wake up" routine (GRIN), and they LOVED it. As far as "must reads" for senior year, I've usually snuck all my must-reads into my children's hands long before then. She is driving her own reading pretty hard by now. :) But if I were designing a "course" and calling it "free reading" (that is, no test questions, no forced discussion, just read and enjoy, but must read), I'd include: Illusions, the story of a reluctant messiah (Richard Bach) Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Bach) Awaken the Giant Within (Robbins) Mere Christianity (Lewis) The Joyful Christian (Lewis) (Who am I kidding? I'd buy the boxed set of Lewis classics!) Time Tactics of Successful People (Griessman) A Whole New Mind (Pink) Reason to Believe (Sproul) Orthodoxy (Chesterton) The Myth of Certainty (Daniel Taylor) I'd also find out if she's read anything by Madeline L'Engle. Her Time Quartet would be beloved by a sci fi fan, and her poetry and journals are amazing as well. HTH, Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCMom Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 These are a few of the books I would want to be sure that my graduate had read. They aren't really free time reads though, more like lit selections for the most part. It's awfully hard to cut it to 10 though! (And this list is 11, lol.) For true free reads, or if she already read these :001_smile:, I like the lists the other posters gave. 1. The Iliad 2. The Odyssey 3. Dante's Inferno 4. Hamlet 5. Gulliver's Travels 6. Pride and Prejudice 7. Huckleberry Finn 8. To Kill a Mockingbird & Cry the Beloved Country (easy reads and both non-negotiable here) 9. Democracy in America 10. Mere Christianity Georgia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheWhoWaits Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Okay, I'll bite. I can never resist making booklists. The Light and the Glory and its sequels for an inspiring history of what God has done in our country A Different Mirror by Ronald Takaki to balance the above and realize that our country is not without its warts I Was Born a Slave great original source material--slave accounts there are 3 volumes, but I'd suggest browsing and reading selected stories rather than all 3 volumes as it gets rather repetetive The Picture of Dorian Gray shows the results of sin without preaching What is the What very long, but great for understanding North African culture A Tale of Two Cities historical fiction that shows the power of true love when a man gives his life so the husband of the woman he loves can live The Hawk and the Dove trilogy by Penelope Wilcock. Out of print, but you can find one volume used editions fairly easily. This is another historical fiction abut the power of love. Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy. Long, but enjoyable. If your daughter likes science fiction, she should enjoy this. Amazon Stranger by Mike Tidwell--about an American missionary kid who is fighting to help save the Cofan people. Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot I think this is a must read for all teenagers. Encourages sexual purity and shows it can be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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